VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Jan. 27 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) highlighted the likelihood of the general public receiving the COVID-19 vaccine shots in mid-February of 2021.

"As I mentioned earlier, first priority will be given to medical workers, including doctors and nurses. (The vaccination of) military and police personnel and public service officers may coincide with that of ordinary people. I think (they can be vaccinated) in mid-February," he remarked after receiving the second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in the center yard of the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

The head of state noted that the first phase of the COVID-19 vaccination program prioritized those on the forefront in the battle against COVID-19, such as medical workers.

"The first priority is medical workers and the next are military and police personnel and public service officers," he remarked.

With 30 thousand vaccinators, 10 thousand public health service posts (puskesmas), and three thousand hospitals across Indonesia, the president expects 900 thousand to one million people to be vaccinated per day.

"This is (our) target. I always tell the health minister that it requires time and good management," he affirmed.

Despite being vaccinated, the public must continue to follow health protocols, such as wearing masks, washing hands, and observing physical distancing, he noted.

"This is important because that is the key. Apart from vaccination, the key is following health protocols. Reduce mobility to anywhere. I think that is all," he stated.

The president spoke of not having felt a thing while receiving the second shot of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"It is the same (as the first shot of the vaccine) two weeks ago when I felt nothing. Only two hours later, I felt stiff," he stated.

President Jokowi received the first shot of the Sinovac vaccine on January 13, 2021. He was the first Indonesian to receive the vaccine.

The Sinovac-made CoronaVac vaccine should be administered twice, at an interval of 14 days, with each inoculation dose at 0.5 milliliters.

Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs, Airlangga Hartarto, revealed that 179 thousand out of the 1.48 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered across Indonesia as of January 25, 2021.

Indonesia is among the ASEAN member states to roll out a COVID-19 vaccination campaign at the start of this year, Hartarto stated.

The minister remarked that the first phase of the free COVID-19 vaccine program, from January to April 2021, will focus on 1.3 million medical workers, 17.4 million public service officers, and 21.5 million senior citizens.

The second phase of the program, from April 2021 to March 2022, will cover 63.9 million vulnerable people living in areas with the highest risk of COVID-19 transmission and another 77.4 million people. (Antaranews)

Jan. 27 - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was administered the second shot of Sinovac's COVID-19 vaccine at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Before being given the vaccine's second dose, the president got his vital signs checked, akin to the protocol followed before his first coronavirus vaccine injection on January 13.

"After the first vaccination on January 13, two weeks ago, today, I got the second shot of the vaccine. Similar to the first one two weeks ago, I did not feel anything. Only some muscle aches after two hours, and I can engage in normal activities," Jokowi remarked after receiving his second vaccine injection.

The head of state admitted that the number of people being vaccinated is still low.

"This was just the beginning, started from the doctors and nurses, and as of today, we have at least 250 thousand (being vaccinated). The number has sharply increased in the past two days," Jokowi stated.

According to the Health Ministry, 161,959 medical workers received the COVID-19 vaccine shot as of January 25.

The ministry has targeted 1.48 million medical workers to receive the vaccine, and of the target, 1.45 million were re-registered for the inoculation.

"With more than 30 thousand vaccinators in 10 thousand public health centers (Puskesmas) and three thousand hospitals, we hope that 900 thousand to one million people would be vaccinated. However, this will need time and good management, as I always conveyed to the Health Minister," Jokowi stated.

By mid-February of 2021, people could start getting the vaccine.

"First, we prioritize medical workers and thereafter the military and police personnel and public service officers. I hope by mid-February, all people can get (the vaccine)," he stated.

Other public figures to have received the second dosage of the vaccine comprised Chairman of the Indonesian Medical Association (IDI) Daeng M. Faqih, Secretary General of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI) Amiesyah Tambunan, advisory leader of the Nahdlatul Ulama (PBNU) KH Ahmad Ishomuddin, Indonesian Military Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto, Police Chief Gen. Idham Azis, and celebrity Raffi Ahmad.

Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, head of the Food and Drug Control Agency (BPOM) Penny Kusumastuti, Chairman of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin) Rosan Roeslani Perkasa, and Secretary General of the Indonesian Midwives Association Ade Zubaedah also received the second shot of the vaccine.

The Sinovac-made CoronaVac vaccine should be administered twice at an interval of 14 days, with each inoculation dose of 0.5 milliliters.

President Jokowi received the first shot of the Sinovac vaccine on January 13, 2021. He was the first Indonesian to have been administered the vaccine. (Antaranews)

Jan. 27 - The World Health Organization (WHO) issued fresh clinical advice on Tuesday for treating COVID-19 patients, including those displaying persistent symptoms after recovery, and also said it advised using low-dose anti-coagulants to prevent blood clots.

“The other things in the guidance that are new are that COVID-19 patients at home should have the use of pulse oximetry, that’s measuring the oxygen levels, so you can identify whether somewhat at home is deteriorating and would be better off having hospital care,” WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris told a U.N. briefing in Geneva.

The WHO advised clinicians to put patients into the awake prone position, on their front, shown to improve the oxygen flow, she said.

“Also we recommend, we suggest the use, of low-dose anti-coagulents to prevent blood clots forming in blood vessels. We suggest the use of lower doses rather than higher doses because higher doses may lead to other problems,” Harris said.

She added that a WHO-led team of independent experts, currently in the central Chinese city of Wuhan where the first human cases were detected in December 2019, is due to leave quarantine in the next two days to pursue its work with Chinese researchers on the virus origins.

She declined to commment on reports of delays in roll-out of vaccines in the European Union. She said she had no specific data and the WHO’s priority was for health workers in all countries to be vaccinated in the first 100 days of the year.

AstraZeneca , which developed its shot with Oxford University, told the EU on Friday it could not meet agreed supply targets up to the end of March. (Reuters)

Jan. 27 -  Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Airlangga Hartarto stated that Indonesia's economy had recovered from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some indicators having shown a positive trend.

"We observed that the consumer confidence index had reached 96.5 in December. We are optimistic of it reaching 100 points," Hartarto remarked here on Tuesday.

The minister noted that one indicator of economic recovery was the consumer confidence index, as 50 percent of the country's economy was based on consumption.

In addition, the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) was recorded at 51.3 points in December, with the imports of raw material and capital goods having increased.

Micro loans (KUR) had also surpassed the target set at Rp190 trillion during 2020, Hartarto pointed out.

"When we see the smaller sector, the use of financial technology increased and reached Rp140 trillion," he noted.

Another positive indicator is the trade balance surplus, at US$21.7 billion, with exports supported by some manufacturing products, such as crude palm oil (CPO) and its derivatives, coal, electronic metal, jewelry, and paper industry.

"Those are some sectors that propped up the national economic recovery," he affirmed.

Positive sentiment was also seen in the Jakarta Composite Index (IHSG) in January that indicated investors' confidence in the situation in Indonesia.

The minister echoed his optimism on the country's economy growing some 4.5 percent to 5.5 percent in 2021, with the government's efforts to curb the pandemic through its social restriction policy until February 6, he noted. (Antaranews)